A nurse is recommending that people throw will parties before they die in
a new handbook aimed at making death more straightforward and open.
Susan Morris who lives in Somers Town, has contributed to the National Death Handbook.
“Bereavement is one of the main causes of debt in the UK” she said. “People don’t plan their goodbyes, their final moments but you wouldn’t even go away on holiday without checking everything was in order, let alone go permanently.”
Reported in the West End Extra.
A Swedish inventor had designed a coffin with built in stero for music fans, who do not wish to rest in peace. People can compile playlists before they die and tracks will be streamed into their casket with a touch screne gravestone menu for mourners.
A vintage double decker bus took Kieth Jarvis’s coffin to the crematorium, along with his family and friends. Keith had never driven and had always travelled by bus so it was fitting that he should travel this way on his final journey.
A TOUGH OLD COWBOY FROM SOUTHERN TEXAS COUNSELLED HIS GRANDDAUGHTER THAT IF SHE WANTED TO LIVE A LONG LIFE, THE SECRET WAS TO SPRINKL A PINCH OF GUN POWDER ON HER OATMEAL EVERY MORNING.
THE GRANDDAUGHTER DID THIS RELIGIOUSLY UNTIL
THE AGE OF 103, WHEN SHE DIED.
SHE LEFT BEHIND 14 CHILDREN,
30 GRANDCHILDREN,
45 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN,
25 GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN,
AND A 40-FOOT HOLE WHERE THE CREMATORIUM USED TO BE.
What happens when we die, a young boy asked his mother?
Mother replied; “we turn to dust.”
The boy contemplated this fact for a while and replied:
“Mum, I think there’s someone either coming or going under my bed !”
Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better
to paint a picture or write a letter,
bake a cake or plant a seed?
Ponder the difference between want and need.
Dust if you must but there’s not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
music to hear and books to read,
friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world’s out there
with sun in your eyes and wind in your hair,
a flutter of snow, a shower of rain;
this day will not come around again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
old age will come and it’s not kind.
and when you go – and go you must –
you, yourself, will make more dust.
Rose Milligan
Two 90 year old men, Mike and Joe, have been friends all of their lives.
When it’s clear that Joe is dying, Mike visits him every day. One day Mike says, “Joe, we both loved football all our lives, and we played football on Saturdays together for so many years. Please do me one favour, when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there’s football there.”
Joe looks up at Mike from his death bed,” Mike, you’ve been my best friend for many years. If it’s at all possible, I’ll do this favour for you.
Shortly after that, Joe passes on.
At midnight a couple of nights later, Mike is awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to him, “Mike–Mike.”
“Who is it? asks Mike sitting up suddenly. “Who is it?”
“Mike–it’s me, Joe.”
“You’re not Joe. Joe just died.”
“I’m telling you, it’s me, Joe,” insists the voice.”
“Joe! Where are you?”
“In heaven”, replies Joe. “I have some really good news and a little bad news.”
“Tell me the good news first,” says Mike.
“The good news,” Joe says,” is that there’s football in heaven. Better yet, all of our old friends who died before us are here, too. Better than that, we’re all young again. Better still, it’s always spring time and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play football all we want, and we never get tired.”
That’s fantastic,” says Mike. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams! So what’s the bad news?
“You’re in the team for this Saturday!!!”
Drop in for an evening of life, death, cake and contemplation
Date: August 28th 2014 then every last Thursday of each month
Time: Please arrive no later than 5.45 for 6.00 pm. – 8pm.
Venue: Pretty Things, 4 Park Place, Horsham, RH12 1DG
We ask that you choose from the delicious selection of cakes, teas and coffees available during the evening
Places are limited, so please book early – 01403 273754
The café is hosted by – Jean Francis – One Spirit Interfaith Minister, pre-need funeral arranger and author
This is a perfect opportunity for people to come together to talk about death but it is not a bereavement group
There is no charge made to attend a Death Café but donations are requested to cover expenses so that we can offer more cafes.
Having recently taken part in this workshop I can thoroughly recommend it, the next one takes place in Dorset in November 2014. Having lived with the experience for a week I felt drawn to write the following:
‘Having well and truly faced my own mortality it feels like I have been given a second chance. Each day feels so sweet, like a new beginning. Bird song seems louder and clearer than usual, the colour of the flowers more vibrant – I have found a deeper meaning to life. I am living in the moment, enjoying and cherishing all that surrounds me and of course – laughing a lot!’ Jean Francis – One Spirit Interfaith Minister, pre-need funeral arranger and author.
The following was written by a previous ‘Dying to Live’ workshop participant:
A Cure for Constipation
I came to the workshop with bad constipation
And such a fierce pain in my head,
But I didn’t expect to attend my cremation —
I didn’t expect to be dead !
But death has assisted my recuperation
And now I’m beginning to thrive –
For the poems, the photos, the fun meditations,
The obits, the songs, the artistic creations,
The gibberish, hugging and visualisations,
The teachings of Osho, the carers-and-patients,
The dancing, the laughter, the tears, the elation
Have wakened in me joyous anticipation –
I want to jump into a wild celebration –
I’m dying to feel so alive !
If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call to make who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting ? Steven Levine
He is one of those people who would be enormously improved by death. H.H. Munroe
I have never killed a man but I read many obituaries with great pleasure. Clarence Darrow
Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow. Anon
Death is not extinguishing the light, it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come. Rabindranath Tagore
To let-go is to loose your foothold temporarily. Not to let go is to lose your foothold forever. Soren Kiekegaard
Everyday above ground is a good day!!! Matthew Stone, Life Coach
‘Actual death takes about thirty to forty-five seconds-the rest is life. And in life one should expect health and wellbeing as often as one can’ Allan Kellehear
If you live each day as it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right”